THE CARDINALS PREVAIL FOR THE VICTORY OVER TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS IN OPENING PLAYOFF GAME AT THE EBA MOSQUITO SELECT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
ARMED FORCES > TP starter Theo (17) pitched a solid 2.1 innings where he limited Royal York to four runs while striking out three; TP reliever Solly (27) tossed 2.2 innings of superb relief where he allowed no runs while mowing down five Cardinals.
Below a ceiling of beautiful and serene summer skies, the Royal York Cardinals edged our Toronto Playgrounds Mosquito Selects 4-3 in five innings of playoff elimination action this evening at Christie Pits Diamond 2 on the first day of the 2015 Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Mosquito Select Championship Tournament.
The game was an entertaining and low scoring affair where solid pitching and stellar defense dominated the proceedings and runs came at a premium. Both teams combined for sixteen strikeouts and seven runs over the course of five taut innings.
Royal York jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. With one out and runners at second and first, the Cardinals executed a double steal. A TP error resulted on the play and allowed Marrec (14) to speed home from third with the opening run of the game.
TP starter Theo (17) struck out one in the top of the first to quell the Royal York insurgency.
Theo was also helped out by some solid defense by his teammates during the opening frame. Left fielder Solly (27) battled the sun to make a nice catch on an eight mile high pop up off the bat of Shane (6) near the left field line to chalk up the first out.
And Theo chipped in with a stellar leather catch of a hot tamale grounder off the bat of Marcus (23) near the mound and made a throw to first baseman Jamie (52) to complete the 1-3 putout play for the second out.
Toronto Playgrounds answered back with a run in the bottom of the first to tie the game 1-1. With runners at third and second, Javert (5) delivered a clutch one out sacrifice hit to plate Theo.
Royal York starter Marcus (23) would strike out one in the bottom half of the first to subdue the TP attack.
The Cardinals responded with a pair in the top of the second to retake the lead 3-1. With one out and the bases loaded, James (11) barrelled home at his own risk on an infield fly rule call by the umpires for the go ahead run.
After Marrec drew a two out walk to reload the bases, Alex (12) drew a RBI walk that allowed Sebastian (7) to come home to roost.
TP starter Theo struck out one in the top of the second to douse the Royal York insurrection.
The inning came to a close on a superb defensive play by TP. With two outs and the bases loaded, Rohan (25) made a brazen bid to steal home. However, Theo noticed the grand thievery and made a bullet throw to catcher Lucas (1), who adroitly applied the tag on Rohan for the chitty chitty bang bang 1-2 dead on arrival thank you mam putout play at the plate for the third out of the frame.
In the bottom of the second, TP put two ducks on the pond via a pair of walks. However, Royal York starter Marcus struck out two to leave them stranded.
The Cardinals tacked on another run in the top half of the third to stretch their advantage to 4-1. With runners at third and second, Cole (5) delivered a sacrifice hit that plated Marcus. On the play, TP shortstop Theo vacuumed up a slow shopper and made a laser throw to first baseman Jamie to record the second out of the inning.
TP reliever Solly (27) would strike out one in the third to end the inning.
The TP offense would rally with two runs in the bottom of the third to trim the deficit to one. After Jashan (13) and Jamie garnered a pair of one out walks, Theo would be hit by pitch to load the bases. Charlie (19) followed by hitting into a fielder’s choice that retired Theo at second and allowed Jashan and Jamie to come homeward bound.
In the top of the fourth, TP reliever Solly struck out one to keep the Cardinals offense from taking flight.
The inning was also highlighted by a superb catch by TP centre fielder Javert. With two outs, Alex launched a dying quail into centre which Javert caught in the shoestrings of his glove for the third out of the frame.
Via a dropped third strike and a walk, TP put two runners on the basepaths in the bottom of the fourth. However, Royal York reliever Marrec (14) would strike out three to leave them stranded.
With authority, TP reliever Solly would mow down the Cardinals in the top of the fifth in 1-2-3 fashion on three strikeouts to keep them off the scoreboard.
TP would manage to get the potential tying run on the bases in the bottom half of the fifth. However, Royal York reliever Marrec would strike out one to seal the deal on the Cardinals victory.
Each team participating in this season’s EBA Mosquito Select Championship Tournament is working under the double knockout formula, whereby a team is eliminated from the tourney once they have lost two playoff elimination games.
With the loss, the TP Mosquito Selects (0-1) must play in a do or die playoff game tomorrow (Saturday) morning against the Martingrove White Sox (1-0) at 9:00 a.m. to stave off elimination.
GO! TP! GO!